Review: The Dark Knight (2008)

[Mark R. Leeper]

                        THE DARK KNIGHT
                 (a film review by Mark R. Leeper)

      CAPSULE: In a year in which one film after another
      is based on comic books this is a super-hero film
      whose depth is like no other.  It plays with the
      whole philosophy of the superhero and the whole
      nature of superhero battles.  It manages to bring
      together an action film and a thought piece.  This
      is a lot more than we have come to expect from a
      comic book film.  Rating: low +3 (-4 to +4) or 8/10

  Spoiler warning: This review discusses more abstract concepts and
  issues than plot points, but they still might be considered
  spoilers.

  In Gotham City (here apparently a visual amalgam of Manhattan and
  Chicago) five criminal gangs have pooled their resources only to
  have them stolen by a brilliant but psychotic sociopath, the
  Joker (played by the late Heath Ledger).  The presence of the
  Joker brings out Gotham's other strange resident, the Batman
  (Christian Bale) and thus begins a giant battle between two very
  twisted men in costumes.

  THE DARK KNIGHT is possibly the most hyped film of the summer.
  Surprisingly, for once, the hyped film is also one of the most
  serious and complex films of the year.  Within the lines of this
  comic book story are some ambiguous moral decisions, and between
  the lines of the script some deep philosophical questions.  This
  is the second Batman film directed and written by Christopher
  Nolan, whose films are best described as astonishing.  FOLLOWING,
  his first, was an unconventional thriller seen by relatively few
  people.  But his MEMENTO was an amazing introduction to Nolan for
  most film fans.  THE PRESTIGE, his latest film before this, was
  an intricate puzzle box that is fascinating on first viewing and
  is even more so on the second.  Even considering THE DARK KNIGHT,
  it is still THE PRESTIGE that is his best work.

  As for his Batman films, BATMAN BEGINS (which preceded THE
  PRESTIGE by two years) has a much deeper psychological pitch than
  any other superhero film in memory.  Nolan painted Batman as
  twisted from childhood and not so much a hero as a victim of his
  own demons.  It was one of the best super-hero films, but BATMAN
  BEGINS still rested comfortably within the conventions of the
  comic superhero genre.

  Nolan's second Batman film surpasses his first with a dark
  psychological drama that nearly reinvents the superhero film.  It
  brings us to a land where in spite of the possible good
  intentions of the superhero, the innocent can become victims of
  the fight itself.  THE DARK KNIGHT is a comment on all other
  superhero films and the implicit safety net with which they
  operate.  It reminds us that with great power comes not just
  great responsibility but also some great psychological burdens.

  The concept of Batman, as with most superheroes, has usually been
  that he can do anything that needs to be done to stop evil.  The
  end of a Batman story or nearly any superhero story has
  traditionally been that order is restored and things have
  returned to the state they were at the beginning.  All dangers
  have been averted and evil has failed.  Somewhat more
  sophisticated superhero stories might allow one or two innocent
  people killed to reinforce how bad the evil is.  But in general
  the butcher's bill in a superhero film has been small.  That is
  just part of the formula.  And we are supposed to feel fortunate
  we had the superhero around to keep down the killing.  That was
  just how a superhero story works.  But in THE DARK KNIGHT Batman
  is faced with the proposition that innocent people are killed and
  others will die until he reveals his identity.  He must decide
  how valuable to him is the secret of his identity.  People are
  dying and that rips away the traditional safety net that his
  protection is infallible.

  With the invisible safety net of superhero story convention gone,
  there are collateral deaths that Batman cannot avert.  They are
  killed because the Joker wants to show the limits of Batman's
  power and also for the simple abstract cause of chaos. The Batman
  supposedly defends order without seeing that he himself, a bat-
  masked, self-appointed vigilante, is a breach of that order.

  THE DARK KNIGHT takes us to a new world in which there can be
  serious casualties in a battle between super-hero and super-
  villain.  The Joker is attracted to fighting the Batman
  specifically because he is the Batman.  He is not trying to get
  rich from the proceeds of his crimes; he is simply playing a game
  with the Batman.  And the Batman cannot back away from the fight
  because he is the Batman.

  For the Joker the game is mostly about Batman, but just for kicks
  he also adds an object lesson for the rest of us.  He shows us
  with a psychological experiment that fear can turn many of us
  into mass murderers also.  One of his crimes is an exercise to do
  just that.  It is it a potent message in the post 9/11 world.
  But clearly this is a deeper Joker than Jack Nicholson's or
  Caesar Romero's Joker clown who laugh gleefully as they defaces
  paintings or do other mischief.  It is like comparing an abyss to
  a little furrow.  Heath Ledger gives a good performance as the
  Joker.  He does make one the great silver screen creeps, nearly a
  polar opposite of his Ennis Del Mar in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN.

  Where Nolan falls down is the background world for his story.  At
  times the background has a very realistic feel, like that of a
  MYSTIC RIVER.  Other times it seems to fall back on the less
  credible logic of a comic book.  One case is when a character has
  figured out Batman's identity and is scheduled to reveal it on
  television.  We are led to believe the station was ready to put
  him on television for the revelation, but they do not know whom
  he is going to name.

  THE DARK KNIGHT has an enviable cast of usually lead actors
  playing supporting roles.  In addition to Bale and Ledger, Aaron
  Eckhart plays District Attorney Harvey Dent on a strange journey
  from crusading public servant to the featured villain in the next
  Batman film.  Both Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine are reduced
  to playing squires to the Dark Knight.  Gary Oldman plays the
  future Commissioner Gordon who wields the Bat-searchlight.
  Finally, Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Rachel Dawes (the Batman's love
  interest) and Eric Roberts plays a mob boss.  The screenplay is
  co-authored by brothers Christopher and Jonathan Nolan who
  collaborated on the scripts for MEMENTO and THE PRESTIGE.

  By July of 2008 the filmgoer might not be blamed if he were a
  little tired of comic book action films hitting the theaters one
  after another.  IRON MAN, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, WANTED, ... the
  list goes on. THE DARK KNIGHT leads the pack and is the most
  intelligent of the lot.  I rate it a low +3 on the -4 to +4 scale
  or 8/10.

  Film Credits: <http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/>


  					Mark R. Leeper
  					mleeper at optonline.net
  					Copyright 2008 Mark R. Leeper